Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                                         Pastor Tom Joyce

March 3, 2021

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

Ephesians 4:29

Golf is a game of keeping a little white ball on very lush, short grass eventually “putting” the same ball, hopefully, in a small hole surrounded by even more lush green grass. The challenge for those of us who do not hit the ball  straight is ending up in very high grass or even worse deep in the words far away from where it should have been hit. I am one of those who find woods, water, and high grass more often than I find the short grass of the “fairway.” One day, as I was playing my usual game hitting into the woods, the person I was playing with came over to help me look for my ball. Upon finding it, he shouted out, “it will play!”  Though I knew I hit a terrible shot, his words gave me hope; rather than condemn my horrible shot, he built me up with his friendship and offering of grace. Life can be a challenge at times, whether playing a sport or navigating through the high grass and deep woods of life; we need words of comfort no matter the challenges we have before us.  Our words have meaning, and a spoken word can never be taken back.  The words we speak are our witness of faith and the grace we have received from God. Jesus said, “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17) If the words of Jesus are ultimately words of grace and hope and not condemnation of those who believe, shouldn’t ours be the same? We are called to be followers of Jesus and witness his grace with every word that we speak.  Celebrate the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with building one another up by the grace we have received; there is power in words, especially words sharing God’s grace. As the old hymn sings, “Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.” (“Grace Greater than Our Sin.” #365UMH)

Rev. Tom Joyce